BURN PATIENTS

Abstract

Objectives: To study the micro flora in wounds of the burn patients from three tertiary care medical hospitals in Karachi. Introduction: In burn patient infections arise from multiple sources and infect burn wounds by a variety of micro-organisms. Gram negative bacterial infection results from translocation from colon, further more burn patients are infected by Hospital acquired bacteria by various invasive and non invasive procedures. Period: July 2002 to December 2002. Setting: This study was conducted at the Department of Microbiology, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. Study Design: Observational study. Material & Methods: A retrospective study of fifty five patients with burn wound infection was carried out at burn units of Civil Hospital Karachi, National Institute of Child health Karachi and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi. Patients who received burn injuries with clinical signs and symptoms of infection were included in this study. Results: In the present study 46(29%) isolates of P. aeruginosa were recovered, in which most strains were MDR and their sensitivity against Imipenem was 38 (78%). The over all prevalence of the Oxidase negative Gram negative coli form bacteria was more than 70%, in which the most prevalent organism belongs to Proteus Spp;(27%) follows the Enterobacter Spp;.(15.5%). Conclusions: Bacteria belongs with family Enterobacteriacae were more prevalent i.e. >70% while P. aeruginosa was individually more prevalent than any member of family Enterobacteriacae and was most resistant to multiple antibiotics than any other bacteria. Imipenem was the most effective drug against all gram negative bacteria follows the 4th. generation Cephalosporin Cefepime.